Back to a Corpse
by keacdragon
Summary: A "What if?" fic, full summary inside...R&R to decide if this is worth continuing...Thank you!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: My wishing star has issues

Summary: Remember Einon and Bowen's confrontation at the waterfall? And Bowen's blade came to rest on Einon's back as he shouted lessons? But he didn't hurt the tyrant king...here's a what if he did...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Don't know if this is worth going any further, it would probably be only a couple of chapters long...if it goes past this chapter I may add OC's...<br>**

* * *

><p>xxx<p>

Bowen's blade stayed in its sheath loosely while Einon's was drawn and waiting, he'd always been impatient.

The king was adjusting his stride in the river, and Bowen could feel the dragon's gaze lock on him from the other side of the waterfall as he jerked his blade free, slashing it into Einon's with a loud clang.

The two ended up switching sides of the river, Einon's back facing the shaken Kara and Bowen's fully exposed to Brok and the other knights.

xxx

Brok growled in his throat, even after twelve years Einon was still a hot headed cocky boy...

Einon would make a mistake, and Brok was relying on Bowen's goodwill and caring for his former student to keep Einon's head on his shoulders, at least until Felton got the hell out of the way as there was no heir, it would up to the lords to take over.

xxx

Kara could stare in disbelief...her blackmailing knight and her captor dueling to what would look like to one of their deaths.

_Her knight_...

Where had that come from?

She shook the thought away, focusing on the fight, even if he was a liar, Kara didn't want Bowen to get hurt.

And by the shifting shadow behind the waterfall the serenading dragon wasn't happy either.

xxx

Einon ducked under one slash of Bowen's blade and parried another, then spun off the try to engage the old knight's other side.

"You never learn!"

Einon didn't understand the shout, as he stood up, at an angle to Bowen and sword in the wrong hand.

"Only expose your back to a corpse!"

Einon went to lean back and spin to face Bowen again, but his mentor's blade has already swinging down...

And connected right below Einon's shoulder blades.

xxx

Everyone gasped at the king's pained shout as Bowen's blade sliced into Einon's back, he had meant to whack Einon with the flat of the blade but Bowen's wrist hadn't twisted fast enough.

He even tried to twist all too late, digging into Einon's back before recoiling in shock, wrenching the blade out in a split second.

Within barely a few seconds, Einon was sliced and then Bowen found a dagger shoved into his shoulder before Einon collasped screaming into the river.

But anything else was drowned out by sheer agonizingly loud roars from behind the waterfall.

Bowen had instinctively reached for Einon, even going so far as to shield to king with his back to the waterfall.

"Die Bowen, you and your dead beliefs." Einon growled trying to shove away from the knight but only managed to induce more pain.

"They were your beliefs."

"Never...mine..."

"You spoke the words...from your heart."

"I...vomited them up...'cause...I couldn't...stomach...them..."

Bowen was still in shock of the turn of events as Brok cam and yanked Einon from his arms, making the king scream even more and the roaring growing in intensity.

"...liar..." Bowen murmured as Brok held Einon on the saddle, charging away for the castle to save Einon's live, the king going pale from pain and blood loss, but his lips fading close to blue.

Like he couldn't breathe...

xxx

Brok wanted to shove Felton into a wall as he harped on the king's condition and Brok's failure...

But his arms held the crying Einon, trying not to jar his wounds further as he took the king back to his bedchamber.

The only thing he could do was yell at Felton to get the healer and queen...

Bowen's blade had created a nasty, painful gash, but hadn't reached the king's spine, it wasn't deep, just excruciatingly painful and messy.

Once it healed over the king could slowly build back his muscle strength in moving his shoulders, but for now...

Einon wouldn't be doing a whole lot.

xxx

Bowen could only stand shocked for a moment as the knights and king's men rode away, then he turned his attention to the roaring and splashing coming from the waterfall.

Kara opened her mouth to question him but he brushed her aside, ducking under the pounding water to find most of Draco's massive muzzle submerged, with all his thrashing he was drowning himself.

The girl had followed him closely, staring as Bowen went right up to the pained dragon, the dark cave was lit with sunlight and...

A sharp red glow...bleeding from the gaping wound in the dragon's back...

Behind his shoulders.

Bowen sharply slapped the dragon's face, shoving at the wet scales.

"Get. Your. Damned. Head. Outta the water!"

Draco must have heard him, suddenly jerking back to sit up halfway, vomiting up lung fulls of water and what ever he'd gotten down into his stomach, choking a little as he remembered to breathe.

Bowen moved to gently rub the only part he could reach of the dragon, his lower foreleg.

"Easy...what happened? Where are you hurt?"

"My...back...must've...hit the...cave...top..."

Kara looked up and felt a small drop of liquid hit her hand, the light was too dim to tell if it was blood or water...but by the way the dragon was reacting it didn't matter.

"Can you settle lower? Lay down at all? Would it aggravate the wound?"

Draco slowly eased himself back down, groaning deeply and clutching his chest as he finally evened his breathing out.

"Look to your own wound knight...I'll be fine..."

"Draco..."

"Bowen."

"A poke in the shoulder I'll live, now let me see..."

The dragon rolled away from Bowen when the man went to check the wound, groaning as the movement throbbed.

"It's...fine..."

The knight sighed and swayed on his feet, not wanting to give in when the dragon was in so much pain.

"Let me."

The two turned to see Kara standing knee deep in water, watching them closely.

Bowen sighed as Draco began slowly shifting to let his head lower to the damp cave floor without falling in the water.

"Could you fetch herbs? I'm afraid my knowledge of wounds ends at cleaning and stopping the bleeding."

She nodded then watched Bowen nearly fall against Draco before he used a hand to brace himself.

"I'll go, but you do no more than sit near him, both of you keep the other conscious."

She was gone a moment later after Bowen slowly eased himself onto the ground, leaning against Draco's side that expanded and collapsed haltingly.

"Draco..."

"Mmm? I'm awake..."

"Are you sure you won't let me look?"

"Bowen, neither one of us can stand at the moment."

"Will you be alright?"

"Until Kara returns? Yes."

"That's not what I meant."

"What about yourself?"

Bowen paused, hating the dragon's uncanny ability to know when something was amiss.

"Eventually."

Draco mumbled something before rousing himself with a shake that induced a sharp moan.

"I'll be fine a few days..." The dragon murmured, staring at the pounding falls, as persistent as the throbbing of his own tormented heart.

* * *

><p><strong>To placate my muse I wrote this...should I continue? Or it alright from here?<strong>

**Just a random thought...  
><strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: My wishing star has issues

Summary: Remember Einon and Bowen's confrontation at the waterfall? And Bowen's blade came to rest on Einon's back as he shouted lessons? But he didn't hurt the tyrant king...here's a what if he did...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Don't know if this is worth going any further, it would probably be only a couple of chapters long...if it goes past this chapter I may add OC's...<br>**

* * *

><p>xxx<p>

When Kara returned with an armful of herbs wrapped in her dress, she could use her shawl for bandages if need be, she found Bowen lying against Draco's side, the dragon humming softly to keep Bowen's focus.

The dragon was heavy lidded as he shifted, groaning as he realized she was there.

"Tend to Bowen, Kara."

The dragon let his head drop once more, wincing but didn't cry out.

She went to Bowen's side, the man having draped his forearm over his eyes, the hand pressed a rag on his wound, already soaked through.

"Umm..."

Bowen shifted at her voice, "Draco..."

The dragon obliged, unfolding his wing to lower the claw that grew from one of the major joints, Bowen gripped it and pulled himself up, the dragon not even blinking, only moaning a little as the movement jarred his wound.

Kara watched the knight stagger to sit on a rock, a bit away from Draco and in the light, which was severely limited in the cave.

"Can you get back outside? It's too damp for the herbs and too dark to work."

Bowen nodded, mumbling something about his horse before rushing out under the water, ducking to keep his wound clear.

"Draco?"

"Not yet Kara, can't sit up at the moment." The dragon mumbled, then winced as Kara prodded the already swollen flesh, releasing more blood.

Until Bowen was cared for the dragon didn't move to give her better access to the wound, only allowed her to press moss into the wound to stem the bleeding before twisting a little to tell Kara to go to the knight.

The dragon dozed while she left, going to Bowen as he awkwardly tended to his stallion one handed, albeit at that rather oddly since it was his injured arm, the other still applying pressure to his shoulder.

"Here, let me see."

xxx

Einon dozed in a rather hazed state, his necked ached from being bent oddly but he couldn't lie on his back without screaming.

Bowen had actually hurt him, he thought he'd never see the day when his mentor's temper would get the better of him.

As Einon pondered his early years of training, bouncing around from knight to lord and back again, his education starting at five and then being taken over properly by Bowen at seven, the door to his chamber opened and admitted his mother, a bowl and clean cloth in her hands as she approached.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore."

The answer came too fast, entirely incorrect, but he didn't care.

"Mm...give this wound time my son, it will heal." There was more than one wound she spoke of, his back, Bowen, that girl...

Einon was almost willingly to agree with her, after a few hours, now late afternoon, the pain had numbed thanks to Aislinn's salves; but then shooting agony startled him to the point of screaming his throat hoarse.

xxx

Bowen wanted to slap his forehead if it didn't mean jarring his shoulder.

Kara had cared for it quite well and as he lay on a sun soaked rock while Kara fussed over their cook fire, that had been slow to the start since they'd used flint and steel to start it, Bowen didn't complain.

He was more concerned over how far his stallion could yank his good arm out of its socket as it pranced nervously.

Bowen finally just let him loose, the horse snorting and jogging a little further away before settling.

The horse only spooked at Draco's sharp cry as the dragon ducked under the water, finally coming to a stop by collapsing next to Bowen, sides heaving and groaning heavily.

"How idiotic can you get?" The knight snapped, but reached a hand out to Draco's nose, the beast moving obligingly and settling soon after.

Kara watched them, a bit confused as Draco stiffly moved his wings, the powerful shoulders rippling to a certain extent, then the wound made him grimace.

"Keep still, it won't hurt as badly." Bowen commanded, earning a grunt but the massive wings, looking entirely too delicate that could hold the massive creature attached to them aloft with ease, stilled and folded themselves away from his shoulders, draping over his slightly shivering sides.

The dragon was completely at ease next to the dragonslayer, to the point where Kare was sure only pain was keeping Draco from sleep.

"Draco? Now may I?"

The dragon grunted slightly, opening his eyes before nodding a little, just enough for Kara to see.

She grabbed a spare rag soaked in cool river water, moving to the dragon and slowly peeling the moss off, trying not to create anymore reason for the dragon to shift and wince than he already was.

Draco's shoulders came level with her head, making it difficult to fully see the wound, Kara tried not to show this, but after realizing she had missed an entire section of the wound with moss, she sighed loudly.

Bowen was the one to react, "What's wrong?"

Kara ignored how fast he sat up to turn to her, "I can't reach."

Bowen chuckled then got up, guiding Kara back a few feet, "Draco, do her a favor and roll onto your side."

The dragon complied, twisting his neck to be able to somewhat see.

"Kara."

"Yes?"

"The only thing you should know is that you can't put a poultice or the like under any scales, and I wouldn't suggest any pain reducers."

"But Draco, you're in-"

"_I know_." The dragon snapped, then recovered, "Sorry, but if you do I won't be able to move for quite awhile, unless I swallow it the wound goes completely numb for hours."

Kara sighed, but obliged, setting Bowen to cleaning the gash, while she had had her doubts of whether Draco had actually hit his spine on the cave ceiling, Bowen getting bits of rocks from crevices in the scales proved Draco's claim.

"Why, or more correctly how did you hit the ceiling? That must've taken a bit." Bowen asked softly, rousing Draco from a half doze that could have all too easily slide into pure unconsciousness.

"Saw the dagger in Einon's hand...*_growl_*...made to stop him from getting you heart...*_wince_*...was...too far back on the ledge...didn't...ohh...duck...*_gasp_*...far enough..."

Draco trailed off with a deep moan, eyes squeezing shut.

Bowen paused to let Draco recover, but also from the heavy concern in the dragon's tone, he choked a little, glad Kara had moved to the river shore to mix the poultice.

"...thanks...Draco..."

A soft chuckle was his response, then a wince as Bowen gently prodded the gash; the swelling had gone down thanks to the cool water as Bowen had cleaned it, but the knight didn't like the nasty red color that threatened to glow at any minute.

Draco had just settled to lie a bit more comfortably, when Kara walked over, the poultice laid out on her shawl as the only thing they had long enough to drape over the wound without prolonging the dragon's pain.

Bowen grabbed the end that would go the farthest over, motioning to wait until Draco's eyes had closed, then the two pressed it in.

And Draco barely bit back his harsh cry, rolling back onto his stomach and stretching his neck out, moaning deeply.

"Oohhh Dearr..."

A low growl trailed off the dragon's words, the muscles stilling but tightening as Draco's forepaws clenched into fists strong enough to crush a horse.

Bowen gently patted the dragon's neck, backing off as the bright orange/amber eyes grew too heavy for the dragon and slid shut, Draco's head lolling a little to one side.

"He'll sleep for a few hours, at least until it cools down this evening." Bowen thought aloud, Kara nodding then taking a step back as the placid horse wandered back to the knight, nudging the man's hand with his nose.

Kara watched Draco sleep for a moment, then turned to the dragonslayer.

"Now why were you in my village, hmm? How is it that you two know each other?"

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh, My muse hates me!<strong>

**Tada! Probably one more chapter after this, we'll see what happens!  
><strong>


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: My wishing star has issues

Summary: Remember Einon and Bowen's confrontation at the waterfall? And Bowen's blade came to rest on Einon's back as he shouted lessons? But he didn't hurt the tyrant king...here's a what if he did...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Don't know if this is worth going any further, it would probably be only a couple of chapters long...if it goes past this chapter I may add OC's...<br>**

* * *

><p>xxx<p>

Bowen was sound asleep on one side of the cook fire with Kara on the other, Draco sort of lying on Bowen's side and partially on another. The dragon sprawled out painfully, but was too deep in slumber to realize it.

The trio, not counting the horse, slept late into the night, until Bowen shook himself awake.

Wincing as he stretched his shoulder too far, the knight tried to find what had disturbed his sleep, Kara waking soon after and looking around confused.

A soft moan made Bowen turn to face the dragon, and sighed in sympathy.

Draco slept awfully, shifting uncomfortably and moaning in pain, unable to bear the wound even in his sleep.

Bowen stood and lightly fingered the edges of the poultice covered shawl, the wound hot and swollen.

The man sighed again as Kara did the same, their eyes meeting before Bowen nodded, going to the river with his horse blanket to soak it through.

Kara was already tearing the right herbs as Bowen removed the shawl from Draco's back as quietly and tenderly as he could, the dragon shifted and moaned again, but didn't stir.

The cold cloth eased some of the fever, even if Bowen grimaced at the hissing steam, Draco seemed to stiffen in his sleep, relaxing when Bowen rubbed his shoulder in reassurance.

"These will make him sleep, he said not t-"

"Kara, Draco's in too much pain, I'd rather deal with his temper later than his endless suffering now, the wound will never heal..."

The knight's words trailed off, voice cracking in emotion filled concern ad he looked away, Kara stretching to apply the salve as far as she could reach on both sides before Bowen finished the last bit on top.

Draco didn't settle right away, seeming to not enjoy the sensation of the salve that probably made the wound sting horribly. After resoaking the blanket and spreading it over the the wound, the dragon sighed sleepily, drifting even further unconscious as his body stilled and relaxed.

Bowen echoed the sigh of relief, returning to his bed roll when Kara returned to her makeshift bed of her shawl and his cloak.

She drifted off rather quickly, leaving Bowen lying awake and watching the quiet dragon until sleep finally overtook him once more.

xxx

xx

xxx

Draco stirred from sleep late the next morning, tired eyes seeing Kara strolling along the riverside further down and Bowen tending his stallion.

The dragon tried to sit up and stretch his stiff wings, tried being the only thing he could think to use as a description as he realized that he couldn't move his shoulders, or for that matter feel the wound at all...

"**Kar-ra!**"

The girl was lucky she was so far away from the dragon, but Bowen wasn't, cursing as his horse spooked at the roar, finally letting the steed charge away and be caught be Kara once it settled.

"What is wrong with you! Do you want everyone in a ten mile radius to know you're here!"

The knight swore under his breath again, watching the dragon twitch and growl in frustration, he was barely able to get his hind legs unfolded, let alone even sit up. The numbing powers of the herbs hadn't been a lie.

"Draco."

*_growl_*

"Dra-co."

*_growl-snarl_*

"HORNHEAD!"

"What!" Draco locked eyes with the knight, glaring in sheer anger, the knight staring right back in defiance.

"Will you _please_ hold still! You were in so much pain last night that you woke Kara and I up, I'm surprised you didn't wake up screaming from how bad you were shaking. The only thing Kara could do was numb the wound to let you sleep, your fever finally broke just after dawn as well, I'd rather have you stuck in one place for a few days then watch my closest friend..."

Bowen stopped suddenly, looking away.

Draco's furious expression softened, sighing a little as he looked to Bowen's back, the man staring at the river silently, he hadn't meant to be so angry, he just hated being stuck, plus the wound had already worn his thin nerves down; but mostly it was fear of being immobile...and alone...

"Watch what Bowen?"

The knight flinched, but didn't ignore the soft voice, hearing the sincere concern in the dragon's tone.

"Watch you die..."

Draco had to strain to hear the reply, and jerked a little in surprise, truly touched and unable to say anything as Bowen turned to face him, fear and grief on his face and in his stricken eyes.

"I've lost too many comrades to wounds no where near as bad as yours because of infection, and it honestly scared me Draco. But I've lost dear friends to fever, because they would still move when told not to...I...I dared not ever grow close to someone again, death is inevitable, but losing someone is always unpredictable...I don't want to go through that again while there was something I could do about it..."

The knight blamed himself, and all Draco could do to reply was shift enough onto his side to remain comfortable, head resting on the warm pair of forelegs, wing unfolding to gently brush Bowen's arm.

The man smiled weakly, rubbing at his shoulder as he patted the dragon's neck.

Draco hummed slightly, letting his eyes drift shut in a light doze as he heard Bowen walk to the newly arrived Kara, their low voices discussing the horse with them before Kara moved to his side.

While he could still hear and feel them, he didn't seem to have the will to open his eyes, noting Kara's tending of the wound was half numbed and without pain, and soon enough sleep claimed the dragon once more.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope it wasn't too bad...<strong>


End file.
